Heaven Can Wait
by TheIrishC
Summary: A Goodbye Between The Lords of Gondor (Lyrics are from Meatloaf's song Heaven Can Wait)


Everything hurt and yet in a way it didn't.

Lifting his head slightly, he could see the shafts of the arrows that had pierced into his skin and he knew.

Heaven can wait  
And a band of angels wrapped up in my heart  
Will take me through the lonely night

Boromir, son of Gondor was dying here alone in the forest and everything was so very wrong.

  
Through the cold of the day  
And I know  
I know

He had failed the little ones, the ones who just awhile before he had taught to use swords, their laughter ringing in his ears as Sam stood silently protective of Frodo.

That name sent a pang sharper than the arrow through his bleeding heart.

  
Heaven can wait  
And all the gods come down here just to sing for me

Closing his eyes as he heard himself fight for breath, Boromir prayed for the little hobbit's forgiveness.

  
And the melody's gonna make be fly  
Without pain  
Without fear

He thought of Faramir and wondered if the silent son would be able to step forward without hesitation and be his own man, despite what their father wanted for them.

Wanted for him.

  
Give me all of your dreams  
And let me go along on your way

He heard footsteps and he found himself wishing that if it was that "THING" again that it would end this for him, despite his knowing that it preferred to let its victims live.

  
Give me all of your prayers to sing  
And I'll turn the night into the skylight of day  
I got a taste of paradise  
I'm never gonna let it slip away

But he had, when he was young and naïve and full of what his father said and did.

  
I got a taste of paradise  
It's all I really need to make me stay-  
Just like a child again 

He had let Aragorn go, turning his love for the heir into hatred and bitterness of his not accepting his birthright.

Heaven can wait  
And all I got is time until the end of time  
I won't look back  
I won't look back

"You're dying you fool." Boromir let a whimper escape him as he realized that he had nothing left to do but to look back as his life ebbed from him.

Wouldn't anybody come to his aid?

  
Let the altars shine  
And I know that I've been released  
But I don't know to where  
And nobody's gonna tell me now  
And I don't really care

He didn't care; he failed Frodo and failed poor Merry and Pippin.

  
No no no  
I got a taste of paradise  
That's all I really need to make me stay

He remembered laughter, practicing sword drills with him, fighting with him and by the valar, he remembered the love.

  
I got a taste of paradise  
If I had it any sooner you know  
You know I never would have run away

Aragorn with Legolas had fought their way and as he ran to his comrade's side once more, he found himself also remembering that brief time of solitude.

  
From my home

He didn't know Aragorn's name, knowing him only as the tutor of sorts that would teach him the ways of battle.

Denethor didn't know, had no way of knowing that he had Isildur's heir teaching the heir of the Steward the way things were to be done.

  
Heaven can wait  
And all I got is time until the end of time

He wasn't to die like this. 

  
I won't look back

Aragorn knelt in front of the fallen man with tears in his eyes. Boromir was supposed to be an old man, accomplished in all things before this was to have happened.

  
I won't look back 

All the stupid fights, the time that was wasted, the words never said and yet Aragorn could only say the one thing that he knew meant the world to Boromir.

"I wont let our city fall."

  
Let the altars shine

He saw his hand stretch out and he knew what the man he loved; the man he taught was trying to do in this, his final gesture.

  
Heaven can wait  
Heaven can wait

"My Brother … My Captain…"

  
I won't look back  
I won't look back

"My King…"

  
Let the altars shine

As he pressed his lips against the eerily cold skin, Aragorn spoke words for Legolas and Gimli to hear, but silently against Boromir's skin, Aragorn paid a final honor…

  
Let the altars shine 

"Goodbye my heart."


End file.
